| Hi! Good Morning! I am Deirochelys reticularia, nick | | | | inhabit shallow lakes, weedy marshes, ponds etc. |
| name - Chicken turtle, because of my long, striped, | | | | Let's go over there; Kinosternidae family is having a |
| neck. I am a freshwater turtle and belong to a | | | | great picnic on tadpoles, snails, worms and crayfish- |
| reputed family Emydidae. I inhabit the calm and quiet | | | | There are -Mr. Kinosternon subrubrum (Mud turtle and |
| weedy freshwater ponds, swamps or marshes. | | | | Eastern Mud Turtle) and Mrs. Kinosternon flavescents |
| Look at the fine grooves and yellow network on the | | | | (Yellow Mud turtle) with yellow throat, smooth brown |
| surface of my brown carapace (4 to 10 inches long). | | | | carapace and a big double hinged dull colored plastron. |
| Whenever I get bored, I come out and enjoy | | | | Meet young and energetic Musk turtle, Common |
| moving on the land. I relish both non-vegetarian and | | | | Musk Turtle and Loggerhead Musk Turtle. Though |
| vegetarian foods. Remember, never ever try to | | | | close kins, they are different species under the genus |
| irritate me, else I will bite! | | | | Sternotherus. They have short tail, grey, brown or |
| Let me introduce other family members: | | | | dull colored oval-shaped shell, a single hinged plastron |
| Mr. Clemmys marmorata, (Pacific/Western Pond | | | | and white stripes on the two sides of the head. |
| turtle) | | | | But don't dare to disturb them, else they may emit a |
| Miss Emys orbicularis (European pond turtle/Swamp | | | | strong foul smell from the glands which can knock |
| turtle) | | | | you out (...just between you and me, we call them |
| Mr. Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding's turtle). | | | | "stinkpot" because of the odor...yuck)! They don't |
| Mrs. Graptemys geographica (Common Map turtle) | | | | grow beyond 6 inches and have characteristic fleshy |
| Baby Graptemys pseudogeographica (False Map | | | | barbels on the chin. |
| turtle) | | | | There, basking on the sandbars, are the ace |
| Master Clemmys guttata (Spotted turtle) | | | | swimmers - Miss Apalone ferox and Apalone spinifera |
| Miss Pseudemys concinna (River Cooter) | | | | (Spiny- and Florida soft-shell turtles) of the Family |
| Ma'm Trachemys scripta elegans (Red-eared Slider) | | | | Trionychidae. They are big (5-24 inches), |
| look at the significant red stripe behind the eyes. | | | | carnivoresand have leathery shells. |
| Mr.Chrysemys picta picta (Eastern Painted Turtle) | | | | Wow! There is Mr.Chelydra serpentina (Snapping |
| Mrs. Pseudemys rubriventris (Eastern Red-bellied | | | | Turtle) of Chelydridae family; largest of our kind |
| Turtle) | | | | (8-20 inches) with strong snapping jaws. How |
| Mr. Calemys insculpta (Wood Turtle) | | | | majestic! |
| They are basically carnivorous but sometimes nibble | | | | Aren't we fascinating? Then why do you gobble us? |
| on plants and seeds for a change of palate. They all | | | | Why eh...? |